Close-range utility of firearms, particularly rifles or weapons with extended barrels is typically limited to the discharge of the weapon preferably at soft targets or more distant hard targets, or to poke the target with the barrel free end. When the barrel directly contacts an animate target, the typically blunt end provides no direct pain or threat of pain except for the delivery of the fired projectile. However, in many peace-keeping situations, it is desirable to provide a greater amount of motivation with non-lethal contact to cause the animate target to comply without resorting to discharge of the weapon.
A further close-range application of firearms occurs when specific hard targets, e.g. a door lock, is to be disabled, which aim would be aided by directly contacting gun barrel to the hard target. However, gun barrels and typical attachments, e.g. silencers, do not facilitate such contact as they are rounded or have smooth surfaces, and would be destroyed or damaged by fly-back of debris from the projectile impact, possibly rendering the firearm inoperative.